Mechanism for keeping records



Jufi 30, 1936. F'. H. CONE L MECHANISM FOR KEEPING RECORDS Filed Nov. 4, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Ema/MM June 30, 1936. P. H. CONE 2,045,756

MECHANISM FOR KEEPING RECORDS Filed Nov. 4, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a No; wM

June30, 1936. v H C NE 2,045,756

MECHANISM FOR KEEPING RECORDS Filed Nov. 4, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 30, 1936. I P. H. CONE MECHANISM FOR KEEPING RECORDS Filed Nov. 4, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 u llllup 5 ul J2 June 30, 1936. P. H. CONE MECHANISM FOR KEEPING RECORDS Filed Nov. 4, 1935 5 Sheets-sheaf 5 Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR. KEEPING RECORDS Philip H. Cone, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Cincinnati Milling Machine 00., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 4, 1933, Serial No. 696,692

L 10 Claims. (Cl. 312--'34) This invention relates to improvements in means or mechanism for keeping and maintaining records.

One of the principal objects of the present in- 5 vention is the provision of improved mechanism for utilizing existing parts and units for expedi- 'tiously maintaining records.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for use with visible record 10 books whereby the said books may be efiiciently employed for keeping and maintaining records.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved meansand the combination of existing parts or means whereby shop records,

5 such as are necessary in the control of production of a plurality of sizes of a plurality of kinds of finished units, may be adequately maintained in an eflicient manner and with the least amount of manual labor and labor fatigue.

20 A further and specific object of the invention is the provision of improved means for rendering certain units of the mechanism, such as the visible record books, more efiicient in operation and use, thereby generally improving the em- 25 ciency of the mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of improved means for arrangement of auxiliary parts and units utilizable with the mechanism as a whole and tending to materially increase the efiiciency of the same.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification, considered in 'conjunction with the accompanying drawings form- 35 ing a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exactstructural details there shown and described, within the scope of' the appended claims, without departing fiOl I or exceeding the spirit of'the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire production Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on" line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the mechanism disclosed in Figure 4. 55 Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view record books and the like.

through the visible record book as seen from line 66 on Figure 5.

Figure Us a detail sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure6.

Figures 8, 9, and 10 are fragmentary views 5 showing the visible record books in different positions of adjustment with respect to their mounting and forming details of the invention.

' Figure 11 is a plan view of the visible record book in an open position. 10

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on line |2--I2 of Figure 1.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts. 15

As was noted above, this invention pertains to improved mechanism for maintaining records, such as the quantity of parts in stock and in the process of manufacture; the cost of manufacturing the individual parts or sub-units of a given machine or other article of use and manufacture; in fact, any type of records that are changing or need revision to maintain same up to date. In the past, such changeable records have been kept on file cards, loose leaf books, and visible multiple The individual file cards were susceptible to being removed from their file and frequently misplaced or misfiled, so that the file was frequently incomplete, Loose leaf and multiple visible record books have greatly 3O superseded the individual loose card file, except that the said books are rather awkward to handle and not very eflicient in use since they are generally filed on shelvesand the like from which they must be taken and returned.

This invention is built to a large extent around the use of visible record books and a novel manner of utilizing the said books whereby their efliciency is increased to a maximum. In addition to the novel manner of mounting and utilizing the visible record books this invention contemplates the arrangement of other parts and mechanism whereby the entire record is kept in an expeditious manner due to the co-operation of the parts employed.

While, as was pointed out'above, this invention may be employed with the keeping of all types of records, it was developedand will be particularly. explained in connection with the keeping of records of individual parts employed in the manufacture of finished articles, such as machine tools.

,As will be appreciated, machine tools are of diffrom being completed. Not always is the percentage of spoilage the same, thereby causing extra partsto, gradually accumulate in the stock room which is generally deducted from the next lot of that part to be run.

The present invention contemplates the maintaining of records of the parts in the stock room', in addition to controlling its progress through the factory. The stock records and parts cards are placed in suitable cabinets shown on the left hand side of Figure 1., These cabinets l5, see Figure 3, are disposed side by side on tables l6 supported by suitable legs H. The cabinets I5 each conta' a plurality of drawers l8 and are of the wellknown construction utilizing visible record cards i9, see Figure 1. Each of these cards contains information pertaining, for example, to the number of a given part in stock, the number to be run for a given size and type of machine and the necessary operations on the part in order to place it in condition for use. The information is taken from these cards and typed onto slips or leaves, each of which is perforated and filed in the visible record books, such leaves being shown at 26 in Figure 11 in position in the said books and which will be described in detail later.

The tables l6 which support the cabinets l5 have projecting in front of the said cabinets a ledge 2| having a sn'iooth upper surface 22. The extreme outer edge of the ledge 2| is provided with an angle iron 23 having one leg 24 thereof projecting upwardly and received in the groove of a pair of flanged casters or rollers 25 secured to the under side of a carriage 26. The carriage 26 is supported on its other side, that adjacent to the file cabinets l5, by plane surfaced casters or rollers which ride on the upper surface 22 of the ledge 2|. The carriage 26 has a plurality of small pockets 26 disposed substantially around a relatively large central compartment 29 in which is disposed a. typewriter or the like 36; The small compartments or pockets 28 contain a supply of the visible record book leaves or slips 26.

Mountedon the fiber in frontof the tables I6 is a pair of tracks 3| and 32 respectively received in the groove of flange casters 33 and 34 carried respectively by the front and rear legs of a chair 35 which is movable thereon. The tracks 3| and 32 are relatedto the table ledge 2| and the carriage 26 so that an operator disposed thereon may move the entire length .thereof for transferring the desired information from the cards 6 to the book leaves 26. In order to hold the typewriter carriage 26 in a relatively rigid position during the use of the typewriter the said carriage 26 has pivoted at 36, to one side thereof, a spring actuated latch 31 having a vacuum cup foot 36 or the like engaging with the flat surface 22 of the table a ledge 2|.

From the foregoing-it will be seen that an oper-- to be transferred, use is made of tabs or flags 39, see Figure 3, applicable to the front of said drawers. While to advise which of the parts in the said drawer are to be made, use is made of additional flags 46, see Figure 1, attachable directly to the card of the part.

The mechanism utilized for controlling the progress of the parts through the factory and for advising the particular condition of said part during its manufacture, utilizes the visible record books disposed in banks on suitable tables 4| which are similar to the tables l6. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the tables 4| 'are supported by legs 42, which legs 42, as well as the legs may conveniently be formed of piping having threads 43 formed at the lower ends thereof. Disposed on the threads 43 of each leg is a pipe sleeve coupling 44 adapted to be axially adjusted relative to the legs along the threads 43. The couplings 44 are utilized for leveling the upper surface of the table to thereby dispose successive table surfaces inabsolute alignment and eliminate any slight steps between adiacent tables. From this it will be seen that each corner of the tables 4| and table |6 are independently adjustable and the desired fiat and unbroken surface from table to table obtained.

Each of the tables 4| supports a rack 45 containing a bank of visible record books 46. The rack 45 is divided into compartments by front posts 41 and rear posts 41A whereby the books 46 are separate from one another. The front and rear posts 41 and "A, see Figure 4, are connected intermediate their ends by an angle iron 46 to provide a ledge which is somewhat nearer the top 49 of the table than the top 50 of the rack. Within each compartment is an inclined plate 5| having upstanding therefrom at each end thereof a lug 52 and 53. Beyond the lugs 52 and 53 the plate 5| carries axles 54 and 55 to which are rotatably secured rollers 56 and 51 respectively riding on the ledges 48 and table top 49 and effecting the inclination of the plate.

The visible record books 46 are formed of two relatively rigid members 56 and 59 pivotally connected at 60 to one another. Pivotally connected respectively to the members 56 and 59 are the book covers 6| and 62 on which the leaves 24 rest when the book is opened. Y Projecting from the rigid or back members 56 and 59 are the 'arcuate prongs 63 and 64 adapted to pass through -Hinge plates 64A lie adiacent to the lugs 52 and 53 of the plate 5| and said lugs are connected to one another by means of pivotedspins 65.

The axis of the pivot pins 65 is so related.to the rigid members or book backs 56 and 59 that the same may be operated as through it were not carried by the member 5|, that is, so that no interference is offered to the easy manipulation of the book. It will be appreciated that visible record books have two operative positions when the book backs 56 and 59 are actuated about their pivots, which positions are in addition to the usual opening of the covers 6| and 62, the said positions being respectively illustrated in Figures 9 and of the present drawings.

The inclination of the book carrying plate 5| is such that when the book is opened with the plate in its inclined position the material or informationon the leaves 26 can be readily these parts, and whether unit 83. The rear of this unit, similar to the The books and plate 5| have three operative positions shown in full lines in Figure 4, and in full and dotted lines in Figure 5. The showing in Figure 4 is with the book entirely out of the cabinet and in position to be opened by the operator, while the one in full line in Figure 5 shows the book in its fully retracted position entirely within. its compartment and the dotted line position is the normally retracted position with the upper foremost corner projecting beyond the compartment posts so that it may be readily grasped by the operator or attendant for pulling to the position in Figure 4. The first position is determined by the rear axle and wheels 54 and 56 engaging the forward posts 41 of the compartment, as shown in Figure 4, and the other two positions by 'the front. axle engaging the forward face and rearward face respectively of a stop block 66 disposed within the compartment. In order to guide the book during its movementrelative to its compartment the upper surface or table top 49 is provided on its ledge 61 with a series. of

guides 68 which are straddled by the front rollers.

51. The ends of the guides 68 adjacent the book compartments are tapered as at 69 and 10, thereby guiding the rollers and book to move in the desired path and prevent canting of the books while they are being withdrawn from their respective compartments.

In order to prevent the books from opening while Within their compartments, and thereby disposing their covers behind the compartment posts, the said posts have secured thereto and projecting rearwardly therefrom lugs or arms II which are in overlying relation to the ledges 48.

In order to place the book from its normally retracted or dotted line position in Figure 5 to the full line therein the attendant merely engagesthe exposed forward corner of the book,-

raising it about the axis of the rear axle 54 and inserts the same further into the compartment until the forward axle drops behind the stop block 66. With the books in the full line position shown in Figure 5 the entire front of the cabinet 45 may be closed. For this purpose a door I2 is provided with its upper end provided with a pin I3 co-operating with the end of a slot 14 formed'immediately beneath the cabinet top 50. From this it will be seen that when not in use the visible record books may be completely enclosed within their respective compartments.

" During the processing or manufacturing of parts small tools andjigs are employed which are utilized in connection with the machine tools.

These tools may frequently be utilized with different parts and in order to advise the attendant which tools are used with the different parts, and

which tools must be withdrawnfrom the tool stores and sent to the factory, when the part is in the factory the visible record book banks are flanked on opposite ends with visible record card files or the like "A. From this it will 'be'seen that the attendant not only has a record of the parts in the shop and being processedbut also a record of the small tools and jigs needed with or not the said tools arebeing used. a I

Disposed adjacent the tables 4| is a pair of tracks 15 and 16 which are similar to the tracks 31- and 32 and are-received in the :grooves of 'flan'ged wheels I1 and 18 carried by a' chair 19.

Mounted on the table ledge 61 at the forward end thereof is an angle iron having its one leg!!! projecting upwardly and received in the groove in flange caster 82 carried by a movable cabinet.

of the attendant.

typewriter carriage 26, is supported by a plane wheel 84 movable on the table top 49 een the guides 68 and the book racks. Fro the foregoing it will be noted that the operator, without leaving the chair [9, may propel himself the entire length of the table and have ready access to the several banks of books and the flanking I file cabinets.

Disposed on top of the book racks 45 and between the file cabinets 14A there is provided a double row of pigeon holes 85 and 86 which constitute mail boxes for the disposal andreception of outgoing and incoming mail.

The complete operation and co-ordinated use of the foregoing mechanism is as follows:

When it is desired to run a lot of a given size and type of machine tool, for example, the cards in the different drawers l8 pertaining to the parts are marked with the desired number of said parts tobe run. These'cards are then flagged by means of the removable flag, 40

whereupon the front of the drawers are provided with the removable flags 39.. The oper ator or attendant then, while disposed on the chair 35, commences at one or the other end of the said cabinets, moving along from drawer to drawer and making up the necessary visible record book leaves 20 from the flagged drawers and cards. These leaves are then placed on one or the other of the flat topped tables 81 disposed behind the attendant, as shown for example in Figure 1.

The said typed leaves 20 are then collected by the second attendant, who, while on the chair 19, places them in the proper visible record book of the several banks at his disposal. In the event the said leaves areto be forwarded tothe factory to commence or advance the processing or manufacturing of the part the tool cards in the cabinets 14A and 83 are consulted to determine the condition of the necessary tools. If it is found that the factory is in a position to work on the part the necessary page or leaf 20 is removed from its book and placed in the outgoing mail box 85'or 86 for delivery to its proper destination. .On completion of the part the-leaf 20 is returned to the mail box whereupon the attendant again properly files the same.

It will be noted that the visible record books by being mounted on their individual carriage or plate, mounted in turn on anti-friction rollers, can be readily placed in position for use and reexcessive amount of time or fatigue on the part record books in the manner shown in the drawings their use is materially facilitated, rendering plurality of compartments in each of which a.

record book is adapted to be disposed, a table supporting the rack and'having its top extending beyond the forward edge of the rack, a

By disposing the said visible turned to their position without the. use of an carrier within each compartment to which thebook therein is adapted to be pivotally secured, a rail providedon each side of each compartment and disposed above the top of the table, roller means at each end of the carriers and disposed respectively on the table top. and compartment rails wherebythe plate is disposed at an'angleto the table top for correspondingly disposing the book, said roller means effecting the ready withdrawal and insertion of the plate and book relative to its compartment, and guide means mounted on the table top in [front of the rack for guiding each plate and its book relative to its compartment.

2. In amechanism of the class described for effecting the efficient use of a plurality of visible record books the combination of a rack having a plurality of compartments in each of which a record book is adapted to be disposed, a table supporting the rack and having its top extending beyond the forward edge of the rack, a carrier within each compartment to which the book therein is adapted to be pivotally secured, a rail provided on each side of each compartment and disposed above the top of the table, roller means at each end of the carriers and disposed respectively on the table top and compartment rails whereby the plate is disposedat an angle to the table top for correspondingly disposing the book, said roller means effecting the ready withdrawal and insertion of the plate and book relative to its compartment, guide means mounted on the table top in front of the rack for guiding each plate and its book relative to its compartment, each plate having three positions relative to its compartment including a fully retracted position, a fully extended position, and an intermediate position in which the book is substantially within its compartment but with a corner thereof exposed whereby it may be grasped for movement relative to its compartment, and means associated with the table and rack for determining the said several positions of the book.

3. In a mechanism of the class described for effecting the eflicient use of a plurality of visible record books the combination of a rack having a plurality of compartments in each of which a record book is adapted to-be disposed, a table supporting the rack and having its top extending beyond the forward edge of the rack, a carrier within each compartment to which the book therein is adapted to be pivotally secured, a rail provided on each side of each compartment and disposed above the top .of the table, roller means at each end of the carriers and disposed respectively on the table top and compartment rails whereby the plate is disposed at an angle to the table top for correspondingly disposing the book,

said roller means effecting the ready withdrawal" and insertion of the plateand book relative to its compartment, guide means mounted on the table top in front of the rack for guiding each plate and its book relative to its compartment,

each plate having three positions relative to its compartment including a fully retracted position, a fully extended position, and an intermediate position in which the book 'is substantialy within its compartment but with a corner thereof exposed whereby it may be grasped for movement relative to its compartment, means associated with the table and rack for determining the said several positions of the book, and means associated with each compartment of the'rack for prohibiting opening of the book when disposed within its compartment.

4. In a mechanism of the class described for effecting the eflicient use of a plurality of visible record books the combination of a rack having a; plurality of compartments in each of -which a record book is' adapted to be disposed, a table supporting the rack and having its top extending beyond the forward edge of the rack, a carrier within each compartment to which the book therein is adapted to be pivotally secured, a rail provided on each side of each compartment and disposed above the top of the table, roller means at each end of the carriers and disposed respec-' tivelyon the table top and compartment rails whereby the plate is disposed at an angle to the table top for correspondingly disposing the book, said roller means effecting the ready withdrawal and insertion of the plate and book relative to its compartment, guide means mounted on the table top in front of the rack for guiding each plate and its book relative to its compartment, each plate having three positions relative to its compartment including a fully retracted position, a fully extended position, and an intermediate position in which the book is substantially within its compartment but with a'corner thereof exposed whereby it may be grasped for movement relative to its compartment, means associated -with the table and rack for determining the said several positions of the book, and a cover carried by the rack for closing the compartment when each book is fully retracted within its compartment. I

5. A filing and record transfer unit including a support, forwardly opening compartments projecting thereabove adapted to receive record books, a cabinet member mounted on the support for movement transversely of and in advance of the compartments; means for guiding the cabinet in its transverse movement, a record book support, alternatively disposable within or projectable from an individual compartment into intersecting relation with the path of movement of the cabinet/ and guide means on the support in the path of movement of the cabinet for determining the position of the book support when projected from the-compartment.

6. In a structure of the character described, the combination'with a support, of means rising therefrom providing book receiving compartments, book supports adapted to be contained within the compartments and projectable therefrom, means permanently guiding individual book supports during all adjustments thereof, a cabinet member mounted on the main support and transversely shiftable with respect to the book receiving'compartments, spaced rollers on the cabinet engaging the support for facilitating movementv of the cabinet, means on the support guiding certain of said rollers to maintainthe cabinet in definite relation tothe compartments, and supplemental guide means on the support intermediate the paths of movement of the cabinet rollers for determining the position of the forward portion of the book support, said supplemental guiding means being spaced from the compartments to provide an uninterrupted path of travel of certain of the cabinet rollers.

7. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a support, of means rising herefrom providing book receiving compartments, said means including elevated guide rails, book supports disposable within and projectable from the compartments and having rear rollers adapted to ride on the rolls for supporting the rear portion thereof in elevated position and forward rollers'riding on the main support, whereby the book supports are permanently positioned in angularly tilted relation with respect to the support during all positions of adjustment thereof,

ment with the covers of a book on the support notc es whereby opening of the book, when in zmition within the compartment, is prevented.

8. In a structure of the character described,

' the combination with a support, of means rising therefrom providing book receiving compartments, said means including elevated guide rails, book supports disposable within and projectable from the compartments and having rear rollers Mnpted to ride on the rolls for supporting the rear portion thereof in elevated position and forward rollers riding on the main support, whereby the book supports are permanently positioned in angularly tilted relation with re spect to the support during all msitions oi sd= justment thereof, additional guide memmrs carried by the compartment forming unit for lateral engagement with the covers of a. book on the support whereby opening of the book, when in msition within the compartment, is prevented, and stop means for engagement with one of the book support rollers for restraining move= merit of thebook supmrt at -en intermediate position in its complete potential travel.

9. In a structure of the character described,

the combination with a support, of means rising therefrom providing boolz receiving compart ments, said means including elevated guide rails, book supports disposable within and projectable from the compartments and having rear rollers 'ings thereof,

adopted to tide on the rolls ior supporting the rear portion thereof in elevated position and for ward rollers riding on the main support, whereby the book supports are permanently position% in angularly tilted relation with respect to the supv 7 5 port during all positions of adjustment thereof, additional guide members carried by the com pertinent forming unit for lateral engagement with the covers of a book on the support wherein opening of the book, when in position within the m compartment, is prevented, and stop means en gageehle with the book support for locking the some in completely retracted position within its compartment.

iii. In a structure or the character described, l5 the combination with a support, of a, unit mounted thereon providing book receiving compartments, book supports disposable within the compartments movable in a. contained or projected rela tion with respect thereto, a cabinet unit mounted 0* on the support for movement transversely of the compartment unit whereby the cabinet may be disposed in juxtaposition to a desired book sup= port, and engularly related guides carried by the main support and respectively engageeble with 2 the cabinet and the book support units for deter mining their relationship during severel shift- Pl-HLE n. cone. 

